Tupac Shakur's Only Screenplay 'Live 2 Tell' Finally Picked Up

May 06, 2011 04:07:21 GMT

'We think that the name we need is the name we have, which is Tupac Shakur,' said producer Preston Holmes who first approached the rapper about the script when he was alive.

Before his life was taken by bullets, Tupac Shakur spent some time behind bars which he made use to write a screenplay. "Live 2 Tell" rights have been acquired by Preston Holmes and Ivan Juzang-owned NStar Studios for a production in the first quarter of 2012.

The rapper's only screenplay follows the story of a teenage drug lord and his efforts to leave a life of crime. Shakur at that point of life was serving time for weapon possession charges. He was sentenced to 11 months at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, N.Y.

"This kid was a genius, and the net of it is, he was from this community, he knew the struggles these young people were dealing with," Juzang told Variety. "And he's able to talk to young people in 2011, 2012, the same ways he was able to talk to young people 1995."

Holmes first approached Shakur for a possible pick-up of "Live" while the rapper was still jailed at Clinton. Shakur's mother, Afeni Shakur, who has previously worked with Holmes in the documentary "Tupac: Resurrection", will exec produce "Live" which budget is set at $11 million.